Patience, Persistence and a Royal Slam

For Hadley, her passion for hunting grows from the time spent in the woods with her dad, the quiet lessons learned from wildlife and a growing curiosity that keeps pulling her back into the field.  

“The drive to learn more, that’s what keeps me going,” Hadley said. “Every time I go out hunting, I learn something new from my dad. He’s hunted for a long time, and he teaches me things about deer, ducks, turkeys — whatever we’re out there for. It just intrigues me, learning about the animals and how they live.” 

That spark of curiosity has taken Hadley across the country and beyond, but her story as a young hunter is not defined by the miles she’s traveled or the slams she’s completed, but her unwavering love for the outdoors and the powerful bond she shares with her father through hunting. 

Raised in a family where hunting runs deep, Hadley took her first deer with a crossbow at age five, and before long, she was joining her dad on all kinds of hunts, from rabbits to ducks and, eventually, wild turkeys. 

But it was her first turkey hunt that really lit the fire. 

“It was snowing, freezing and windy,” she remembered. “But two toms came running in, and I killed my first turkey. I thought, ‘This is easy — I’m doing this all the time!’” 

Of course, she’d soon learn just how humbling turkey hunting can be. And that’s where her story really begins — not in the ease of early success, but in the moments that tested her resolve and shaped her into the hunter she’s becoming. 

In 2024, at age 12, Hadley set her sights on the Grand Slam — harvesting all four U.S. subspecies of wild turkey in a single season. From Florida’s swamps to Nebraska’s windswept plains, she endured challenges most adults would think twice about: stomach pains, relentless wind and rain, long days and the nerves that come with chasing something you’ve worked hard for. In Nebraska, she even had to face her fear of storms. But she stuck it out. 

That determination carried her to Michigan, where she completed the Grand Slam with an Eastern. And when her dad told her about the Royal Slam — adding a Gould’s turkey from Mexico — she didn’t hesitate. 

 “I didn’t even know you could go to Mexico to hunt turkeys,” Hadley said. “But I said, ‘absolutely — let’s do it.’ I was excited the rest of the year.” 

The next spring, she made it to Mexico, where she harvested two Gould’s turkeys under challenging conditions. The terrain in Mexico was rugged, the birds were quiet, and the wind didn’t let up. But Hadley stayed patient — something she admits doesn’t come easy outside of the woods. Her determination, though, led to an outstanding accomplishment. 

“When I got to the turkey, I started shaking,” Hadley said. “I sat down to take pictures, and it hit me — I just completed my Royal Slam. That’s amazing.” 

While Hadley’s Royal Slam is a milestone — one that makes her the only youth in Ohio to accomplish it, and among the youngest females in the world to do so — that’s not what she or her dad dwell on. 

Through these experiences, Hadley has gained the same hard-earned lessons that seasoned turkey hunters come to know, lessons in patience, persistence and respect for the hunt. It’s these challenges that continue to fuel her passion and shape her growth as a hunter. 

“My dad’s the reason I started hunting and why I’ve stuck with it,” Hadley said. “Every hunt we’ve been on, he’s been right there. He’s taught me everything — how to listen, how to call, how to be patient, and every time I go out, I learn something new. 

“Hunting teaches you patience, for sure. Especially turkey hunting. You want that perfect textbook hunt where he gobbles all the way in — but it doesn’t always happen that way. You learn to wait. You learn to be okay with that.” 

Her dad, proud of his daughter’s skills and values, said he sees hunting as more than a tradition — it’s a foundation for character and connection. 

“I’ve always taught my girls to be humble, especially when it comes to hunting,” he said. “You don’t do it to show off. You do it because you love it, and you respect the animals. And if someone’s excited about what they harvested — no matter what it is — you be excited for them too.” 

This mindset has helped Hadley approach hunting with maturity beyond her years. While she sets ambitious goals, she’s learned to value the process over the prize. Her advice to other youth, especially those who might be hesitant to get started, reflects this hard-earned perspective. 

“I’d say start small,” she said. “Don’t try to go for the biggest thing right away. My first deer was a doe, and I remember telling my dad, ‘I just want to kill the biggest buck.’ But he always told me, ‘If you start there, where do you go from that?’ And he was right.” 

Her dad added, “Set realistic goals. You achieve those, and then you work toward bigger ones. That’s how you build confidence and keep growing.” 

Hadley’s passion has grown from those early hunts. She’s faced brutal weather, long days, and moments of doubt, but she’s stuck with it — not just to check boxes, but because each experience brings her closer to nature, closer to her dad and closer to understanding her place in the outdoors. 

She’s come to understand not just the behavior of wild turkeys, but her deeper role as a steward of the land — a lesson passed down from her dad. As proud conservationists and NWTF members, the two share more than time in the woods; they share a commitment to ethics, stewardship and respect for the natural world. 

Now, with the Royal Slam behind her, Hadley isn’t slowing down. She’s already dreaming of what comes next. But she knows the real reward isn’t found in a mount on the wall — it’s in every early morning with her dad, every hard-earned lesson and keeping these traditions alive for future generations. And for the young hunter, the journey has only just begun.